Two kind of unrelated thoughts regarding this method (I'm planning on trying it tomorrow):

1. Can I spray water in instead of cupping it?

2. This seems tailor made for using with CJ Smoothing Gellie since you're supposed to wet it after applying to "activate."

Originally Posted by anatidaephobia

I stumbled upon this method when working with the SG and looking for ways to "activate it". But trust me, it works with most any products that work with your hair.

As for spraying; I dont think it will work as well, but you could surely try. For me personally the key is SOAKING the hair. I dont even get the same result when I do this in the shower, even if I replicate the way I do it at the sink. The force of the shower spray is fine and dispersed and I cant quite get the handfuls of water necessary to soak my hair properly.

I also think its crucial to soak the hair from the bottom up (as opposed to spraying or rewetting under the shower head) to avoid flattop.

On a side note, I am so thrilled that so many curlies are having such great success. Not to be corny, but I finally feel like I have contributed something back to the site that gave me all that I know about my hair.

So today, I tried the following: after I rinsed out the conditioner with my client's head back in the shampoo bowl, I raked in leave-in, raked in a bit of gel, then turned on the water, cupped my hand and scrunched in some water. I then flipped them upside down, loosened their hair at the hairline and scrunched in gel while they were still really wet.

Not perfect. But progress.

Originally Posted by StruttsWife

One variation on Rudee's method that has helped me: I apply my base (curl cream) before cupping/soaking, but then I don't apply the final product (gel for hold) until after plopping, when my hair is still wet but no longer soaking wet. I think (but am not sure) that that helps with the hold.

So today, I tried the following: after I rinsed out the conditioner with my client's head back in the shampoo bowl, I raked in leave-in, raked in a bit of gel, then turned on the water, cupped my hand and scrunched in some water. I then flipped them upside down, loosened their hair at the hairline and scrunched in gel while they were still really wet.

Not perfect. But progress.

Originally Posted by StruttsWife

One variation on Rudee's method that has helped me: I apply my base (curl cream) before cupping/soaking, but then I don't apply the final product (gel for hold) until after plopping, when my hair is still wet but no longer soaking wet. I think (but am not sure) that that helps with the hold.

Originally Posted by melaniesusan

A couple of curlies have indicated that they do it in that order.

I will have to try it, but I suspect I will get surface frizz from that, as well as break up some of the clumps.

I tried something a little different this a.m.: I flipped upside down in the shower and rinsed out my conditioner with cool water, then combed in my leave-in and some gel with a wide-tooth combs (I don't use a Denman).

I then turned off the shower spray and let the water run into the bathtub; still upside down, I cupped my hands under the stream to get a good little pool and then "dipped" my entire length into it...I did this several times until I was totally dripping. Then I scrunched in gel, scrunched out the excess, plopped then clipped (which is where I am now in the process). We'll see how this works.

SW - this is how I do it, too... After applying leave-in/curl cream, I comb/brush it through, then turn off the shower. I then turn on the tub faucet, fill up my hands w/cool water, then scrunch that in really well. Turn off the water, then apply my gel & strutt plop.

It's been working great so far I'm growing out my bangs, so I'm not worrying about the front of my hair right now, since it all goes back in a small jaw clip anyway.

What I'm noticing for MY hair is that while wet/damp, it doesn't look good at all, but once it dries & I fluff it out a bit, I've got great clumps & volume (for me), which makes me happy

Thanks rudee, & you've been a gigantic asset to these boards I'm loving this method, & it really has made a difference for me

Shampoo: Still use sulfates, but only on rootsRinse out: Deva One C, JC Too Shea, Original Sprouts Deep ConditionerCurl Enhancers: KCCC; JC Rocking Ringlets, JC Spiralicious, & Confident CoilsStyler: BRHG (over any and all curl enhancers) - this is the one product that I never change - absolute HG!!

I tried something a little different this a.m.: I flipped upside down in the shower and rinsed out my conditioner with cool water, then combed in my leave-in and some gel with a wide-tooth combs (I don't use a Denman).

I then turned off the shower spray and let the water run into the bathtub; still upside down, I cupped my hands under the stream to get a good little pool and then "dipped" my entire length into it...I did this several times until I was totally dripping. Then I scrunched in gel, scrunched out the excess, plopped then clipped (which is where I am now in the process). We'll see how this works.

God, we are such freaks! I LOVE US!!!

Originally Posted by StruttsWife

LOL. That will be the Super Soaker Supreme!

Yes, the wetter the better is the underlying principle behind the original theory.

I was thinking that today too as I see my stylist next month and she is always interested in the new techniques I have learned. Let me know if you come up with an idea

Originally Posted by Jess the Mess

So today, I tried the following: after I rinsed out the conditioner with my client's head back in the shampoo bowl, I raked in leave-in, raked in a bit of gel, then turned on the water, cupped my hand and scrunched in some water. I then flipped them upside down, loosened their hair at the hairline and scrunched in gel while they were still really wet.

Not perfect. But progress.

Originally Posted by StruttsWife

That's about the way my current stylist - Deva-trained but doesn't use Deva dry cut on me - does mine. Makes a mess on her floor, but she doesn't seem to care, LOL. Then she blots my hair with paper towels, clips the top and puts me under the dryer.

I kind of do a variation of this. I love the even distribution I get from combing in my leave in and gel but it tends to break up my curl clumps too much which gives me skinny curls and big hair so what I do is use a spray bottle after I've applied my styler to resoak my hair and gently scrunch to reclump my hair. I really hate having such a wet head once I'm out of the shower but in the summer it's not so bad.

Yep, I think I'm going to have to tweak it a little and work out a different variation myself because I get too clumpy and don't get the volume I like. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out another variation that will work for me, though.

Yep, I think I'm going to have to tweak it a little and work out a different variation myself because I get too clumpy and don't get the volume I like. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out another variation that will work for me, though.

Originally Posted by msgiblet

Makes sense, since one of the reasons I want clumps is to control my volume.

My hair is so thick that i don't even where it down curly and haven't since i was 5 for picture. I don't straighten it alot either i just kind of brushed it into a ponytail and wore it like that. Both of my parents are african-american and i came out with 3b/c black hair and one of my sisters(who has the prettiest hair) came out with 3c/4a hair. I swore on the fact that my hair won't clump..it was like born to be stringy except for the first few curls on each side..THIS METHOD ROCKS!! swear i did it for fun and thought it wouldn't work, but wen i saw it i was like OMG OMG OMG! lol thnks rudee!

My hair is so thick that i don't even where it down curly and haven't since i was 5 for picture. I don't straighten it alot either i just kind of brushed it into a ponytail and wore it like that. Both of my parents are african-american and i came out with 3b/c black hair and one of my sisters(who has the prettiest hair) came out with 3c/4a hair. I swore on the fact that my hair won't clump..it was like born to be stringy except for the first few curls on each side..THIS METHOD ROCKS!! swear i did it for fun and thought it wouldn't work, but wen i saw it i was like OMG OMG OMG! lol thnks rudee!

Originally Posted by KsLiZCuRlZ

Are you for real? Thats amazing - I am so excited for you!! Tell us what reaction you get from your friends and family!!

Yep, I think I'm going to have to tweak it a little and work out a different variation myself because I get too clumpy and don't get the volume I like. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out another variation that will work for me, though.

Originally Posted by msgiblet

I like the fact that I don't get volume from super-soaker; however, if I wanted to add volume, I would just smooth in just a tiny bit of CJ AF on top of my base coat before soaking and plopping. I know you're not fond of it, Gib, and I'm not either used by itself, but when I add in just a little on top of CJ CCCC before plopping it gives me lots of volume and sometimes some increased curl definition as well.

Yep, I think I'm going to have to tweak it a little and work out a different variation myself because I get too clumpy and don't get the volume I like. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out another variation that will work for me, though.

Originally Posted by msgiblet

I like the fact that I don't get volume from super-soaker; however, if I wanted to add volume, I would just smooth in just a tiny bit of CJ AF on top of my base coat before soaking and plopping. I know you're not fond of it, Gib, and I'm not either used by itself, but when I add in just a little on top of CJ CCCC before plopping it gives me lots of volume and sometimes some increased curl definition as well.

Originally Posted by melaniesusan

I think the only problem is I haven't been doing much upside down with this method, which makes a world of difference for me. I hardly diffused today and not upside down at all. I think if I had I would have had the volume I like. My hair came out really pretty today -- just more wavy and not as voluminous as I like. I'm close to getting it; just needs a tad more tweaking. I'm lovin' the clumps, just need to get the balance of that and the volume and I'll be good to go!

Yep, I think I'm going to have to tweak it a little and work out a different variation myself because I get too clumpy and don't get the volume I like. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out another variation that will work for me, though.

Originally Posted by msgiblet

I like the fact that I don't get volume from super-soaker; however, if I wanted to add volume, I would just smooth in just a tiny bit of CJ AF on top of my base coat before soaking and plopping. I know you're not fond of it, Gib, and I'm not either used by itself, but when I add in just a little on top of CJ CCCC before plopping it gives me lots of volume and sometimes some increased curl definition as well.

Originally Posted by melaniesusan

I think the only problem is I haven't been doing much upside down with this method, which makes a world of difference for me. I hardly diffused today and not upside down at all. I think if I had I would have had the volume I like. My hair came out really pretty today -- just more wavy and not as voluminous as I like. I'm close to getting it; just needs a tad more tweaking. I'm lovin' the clumps, just need to get the balance of that and the volume and I'll be good to go!

Originally Posted by msgiblet

Why not try doing the soak upside down? Do you have a low sink? Or maybe like Struttswife, in the tub?

I like the fact that I don't get volume from super-soaker; however, if I wanted to add volume, I would just smooth in just a tiny bit of CJ AF on top of my base coat before soaking and plopping. I know you're not fond of it, Gib, and I'm not either used by itself, but when I add in just a little on top of CJ CCCC before plopping it gives me lots of volume and sometimes some increased curl definition as well.

Originally Posted by melaniesusan

I think the only problem is I haven't been doing much upside down with this method, which makes a world of difference for me. I hardly diffused today and not upside down at all. I think if I had I would have had the volume I like. My hair came out really pretty today -- just more wavy and not as voluminous as I like. I'm close to getting it; just needs a tad more tweaking. I'm lovin' the clumps, just need to get the balance of that and the volume and I'll be good to go!

Originally Posted by msgiblet

Why not try doing the soak upside down? Do you have a low sink? Or maybe like Struttswife, in the tub?

Originally Posted by rudeechick

I'm gonna try stuff. I WILL get this down even if I have to resort to a bucket!!

I think the only problem is I haven't been doing much upside down with this method, which makes a world of difference for me. I hardly diffused today and not upside down at all. I think if I had I would have had the volume I like. My hair came out really pretty today -- just more wavy and not as voluminous as I like. I'm close to getting it; just needs a tad more tweaking. I'm lovin' the clumps, just need to get the balance of that and the volume and I'll be good to go!

Originally Posted by msgiblet

Why not try doing the soak upside down? Do you have a low sink? Or maybe like Struttswife, in the tub?

Originally Posted by rudeechick

I'm gonna try stuff. I WILL get this down even if I have to resort to a bucket!!